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Contact us for free legal advice
for women and children's rights
Transformative Justice
Mrs Nikiwe Ncube- Tshabalala
Nikiwe is an Attorney in Private Practice and an Associate at Webb, Low and Barry, Incorporating Ben Baron Legal Practitioners. Nikie as she is affectionately known
commenced Legal Practice in 2008 in the firm's Litigation Department. Her core legal practice areas include but are not limited to Conveyancing, Commercial,Civil and Criminal Litigation as well as Family Law.
Phillipa Phillips
A lawyer by profession and a Partner at Phillips Law, a local boutique law firm specializing in Immigration; Citizenship, Compliance and Corporate Law. Phillipa obtained her BA (Private Law and French) then an LLB degree from the University of Cape Town, she proceeded to obtain a Master of Laws (LLM) from Temple University in Pennsylvania, USA. Phillipa sits on various board and serves as trustee of several other organizations. Phillipa is involved with the World Bank Doing Business in Zimbabwe and is the current country consultant for the review of Companies Act [Chapter 24:03].
Dorothy Pasipanodya
Dorothy Pasipanodya joined the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) as an associate member in 2010. She is a Legal Practitioner at Gill Godlonton & Gerrans. Dorothy serves on the council of the Zimbabwe Institute of Patent and Trademark Agents and she sits on the board of the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association.
Patronella Takawadiyi-Musarurwa
Patronella is a registered legal practitioner with special interest in Property, Commercial and Family law. She obtained a Bachelor of Law (BL Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Zimbabwe. She has over 20 years experience in the legal profession and currently manages a Private Law firm. She is a member of various corporate Boards
Milidzani Faith Masiye-Moyo
Milidzani is a legal practitioner, conveyancer and notary public with over eighteen years' experience in various sectors of the legal profession including private practice, municipality and government. She joined Masiye-Moyo and Associates in Bulawayo as an Associate partner in May 2013. Her areas of speciality are conveyancing, drafting of agreements, notarial practice and legal process drafting. She worked for the Botswana Government as a Magistrate for 10 years between 2003 and 2013. During that period she was a member of the International Association of Women Judges.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE REGISTRATION OF CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.
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Stigmatics
Seeping wounds
Stigmata (Ancient Greek: στίγματα, plural of στίγμα stigma, 'mark, spot, brand'), in Christianity, are the appearance of bodily wounds, scars and pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, such as the hands, wrists and feet. An individual bearing the wounds of stigmata is a stigmatist or a stigmatic.
In Galatians 6:17, Saint Paul says:
Τοῦ λοιποῦ κόπους μοι μηδεὶς παρεχέτω· ἐγὼ γὰρ τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματί μου βαστάζω.
From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
A stígma (στίγμα) is a mark on the skin.
Stigmata are primarily associated with Roman Catholicism. Many reported stigmatics are members of Catholic religious orders. St. Francis of Assisi was the first recorded stigmatic. For over fifty years, St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin reported stigmata which were studied by several 20th-century physicians. Stigmata are notably foreign to the Eastern Orthodox Church, which professes no official view on the matter; the first and only stigmatics have been Catholics who lived after the Great Schism of 1054.
A high percentage (perhaps over 80%) of all stigmatics are women. In his Stigmata: A Medieval Phenomenon in a Modern Age, Ted Harrison suggests that there is no single mechanism whereby the marks of stigmata were produced. What is important is that the marks are recognised by others as of religious significance. Most cases of stigmata have been debunked as trickery. Some cases have also included reportings of a mysterious chalice in visions being given to stigmatics to drink from or the feeling of a sharp sword being driven into one's chest.
Unreported illness
Societal Problems → Accidents
J: Problems Under Consideration
28.12.2017 – 15:59 CET


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ACTOR ROGER MOORE DEAD AT 89
By Breck Worsham May 23, 2017 May 23, 2017
Leave a Comment on ACTOR ROGER MOORE DEAD AT 89
LOS ANGELES, CA — Film actor Roger Moore has died, according to a family spokesperson.
Born on Oct. 14, 1927, in Stockwell, South London, England, Moore, best known for his role as James Bond, passed away after a brief battle with cancer. He was 89. Aside from his recurring role as star of the 007 saga, Moore was also known for starring television roles in "The Persuaders" and "The Saint".
Moore's final film appearance was a supporting role in "The Carer" (2016), about an aging and ailing British actor (Brian Cox).
In addition to his fame as an actor, Moore also served with honors in the British military. He was drafted during the final year of World War II, serving as a second lieutenant in the Royal Army Service Corps. After the war he left for the United States in 1953 where he found fame in show business.
During a 2014 interview with NPR, Moore, speaking of a prior battle with cancer, said that he had no fear of death because he believed in an afterlife.
"My attitude about death is, going into the next room, and it's a room that the rest of us can't get into because we don't have the key," he said. "But when we do get the key, we'll go in there and we'll see one another again, in some shape or form, or whatever."
"With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated," Moore's children, Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian, said in a statement on Twitter (https://twitter.com/sirrogermoore/status/867005447018086400).
"Thank you Pops for being you, and being so very special to so many people. The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone," the statement continued. "We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF (a charitable organization) which he considered to be his greatest achievement. Our thoughts must now turn to supporting Kristina [Tholstrup, his wife] at this difficult time."
In a separate statement, fellow Unicef ambassador and actor Ewan McGregor said: "Thank you, Roger, for having championed so tirelessly the rights of all children for the last 26 years. You've shown that we all have the power to make a change to the lives of the most vulnerable children."
In recognition of his charity work, Moore was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2003.
"Her Majesty said I'd been involved with charities for a long time, but she supposed that people will always call me 007," Moore said of the honor. "I said that I didn't mind because I was paid money for it!"
Moore will be buried in Monaco after a private ceremony in accordance with his wishes, his children said.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Tags: Celebrity entertainment Hollywood Roger Moore
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Q: Convex hull of an open set... Let $K$ be a compact convex subset of locally convex topological vector space $E$.
Let $U$ be an open subset of $K$.
Is $conv(U)$ (the convex hull of $U$) an open subset of $K$ ?
You see, it is well know that if $U$ is an open subset of $E$, then $conv(U)$ is an open subset of E. the argument for this is based on the fact that the addition is an open map for $E \times E$ to $E$, hence if you take $(a_1,...,a_n)$ such that $\sum a_i =1$, then the set of $\sum a_i u_i$ for $u_i \in U$ is an open set, and hence $conv(U)$ is an union of open set. But when we restrict ourselves to $K$ the former argument no longer hold : for exemple if $U = K$, $n=2$ and $a_1=a_2= \frac{1}{2}$, then the set of $\sum a_i u_i$ is the set of non-extremal point of $K$, which may be non open even in a finite dimensional case... but still i can't find any counterexample to my question.
Note : Using local convexity we can show that it is enough to proove that if $U$ and $V$ are two open convex subset of $K$ then the set of $a u +(1-a)v$ with a in $[0,1]$ is open in $K$.
Thanks !

A: This is not true.
Let $K$ be, say, the unit ball in a Hilbert space, equipped with its weak topology. Let $\xi$ be a norm-one linear functional, and consider $U := K \cap \{\xi \in [-1, -c) \cup (c, 1]\}$ for $0 < c < 1$. It is an open set, however, its convex hull is $\{x \in K \, | \, \Vert \mathrm{pr}_{\xi^\perp} x \Vert < \sqrt{1 - c^2}\}$, where $\mathrm{pr}_{\xi^\perp}$ is the orthogonal projection on the hyperplane $\xi^\perp$. This set is clearly not open in the weak topology.

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Virtual worlds use many advanced technologies and can be intimidating. What makes this environment different from traditional online training is that it's almost fully immersive. Instead of learning that is mediated by books, PowerPoint slides, and voice-over narration, virtual worlds are experiential, interactive, and multisensory. Learners are engaged in new and exciting ways. This issue of Infoline is designed to familiarize you with virtual worlds and give you ideas about how they can work for you. You will learn popular ways organizations are using virtual worlds, how to select the right virtual world provider for your organization, and how to use virtual worlds in your organization.


Coco Chanel once said, "The age of a woman is not important: you can be wonderful in your 20s, amazing in your 40s and stay fabulous for the rest of your life." And the people featured in our article are a bright example of this.
We invite you to look at these people who stay classy despite their age.
A 63-year-old French model named Yasmina is sure that a woman's beauty grows with her age. She claims that it's the organic diet she is keeping that helps her to preserve her beauty. Since the model grew up in Corsica, she started sticking to organic food long before this trend became popular. Moreover, the natural oils that Yasmina uses on her hair and skin, as well as her moderate physical activity, affect the way she looks positively.
A Canadian model and actress named Carol Alt feels full of energy. Her size of 89-60-89 impressed and infatuated the racer, Ayrton Senna and then the hockey player, Alexei Yashin. Ayrton taught her to drive sports cars and Alexei, who is 13 years younger than her, is trying to unteach her to drive sports cars. The model doesn't have any beauty tricks but says the secret to her gorgeous shape is that she considers a raw diet.
It's hard to believe, but being a woman over 60, Jilly Johnson is famous not for books about raising grandchildren but as a model of lingerie. She jokes that over the last 12 years, her husband was paying more attention to taking care of himself than she was. Jilly prefers cosmetic items checked by time over the newest expensive cosmetics. She uses kids' shampoo for washing her hair and uses a regular flannel napkin instead of a facial scrub.
Nicola Griffin can't boast about being a celebrity for a long time or about numerous appearances on runways — she only started her career as a model several years ago. When her kids left the house, Nicola found an agent and started to work. Today she takes part in shoots for clothing ads, catalogs, and advertising campaigns — she also appears in TV commercials and on billboards.
A famous bodybuilder and model, the winner of the "Mr. Universe" contest, and one of the 12 best officially recognized athletes of all time; Mike O'Hearn proves with his own example that not only can one reach all their set goals with hard work but also by controlling time. The athlete starts his day at 3 a.m. daily so that he has enough time for training and doesn't miss any of his 6 meals in order to save energy for his second training session each evening.
There was a time when Marie Helvin was called the most beautiful woman in the world, however, now at the age of 65, she looks even more gorgeous. Marie says that since she doesn't have kids, she spends all her time taking care of herself. She does sports, doesn't smoke and keeps a strict diet. She considers the absence of disappointments in love to be another secret to her flawless appearance. Marie confesses that she has always been trying to avoid emotional closeness in relationships and it helped her to save both her mental health and beauty.
It would be wrong to call Ines de La Fressange just a model. French people consider her to be a trendsetter, an icon of style, and a model of Parisian chic. She got one of the best French awards for her achievements, The Legion of Honour. Ines considers the ability to avoid stressful situations to be the secret of her beauty because we all know that stress provokes the appearance of wrinkles. After all, most issues eventually turn out to be not as big of a deal as they seemed in the first place.
Gillean McLeod confessed in one of her interviews that the best period of her life started when she turned 50. She got divorced and went through terrible changes and became a different person. All those things made her a better person. She had been working as a stylist for a long time until the moment she was offered to try modeling at the age of 53. At first, due to her natural shyness, it was difficult for her to work well but after some time, she became more self-confident. She started to make more efforts to keep herself in good shape and even starred in a swimwear commercial.
Yolanda Foster Hadid finished her career in modeling at 31 in order to devote herself to her family. Today she is the main assistant to her daughters, both full-time models. Recently she has also been helping her younger son to conquer the summit of the fashion industry. Despite the completion of this model's career, she continues to take care of herself and keeps up with her famous daughters Gigi and Bella by pleasing her fans with photos of herself in bikinis.
Being 45, Marnie Goldberg managed to turn her life into the American dream: to devote herself to the family and to the business she loves in order to earn money for her hobby and simply be happy. She has her own YouTube Channel where she shares beauty secrets and gives recommendations on running a household and spending money.
Yang Dan became a weather forecaster for the Central Television of China in 1996 at the age of 22. She has been working with the channel for 22 years since then but it doesn't look like this woman grew at least one day older over this period. The changes in her appearance are so unnoticeable that the channel has published a video of this miraculous woman over the many years she's worked there for All Women's Day.
This resident of Indonesia Puspa Dewi became famous after her 2 sons congratulated her with her 50th jubilee and posted the birthday video on YouTube. Viewers couldn't believe that she was the mother of 2 adult sons and not their sister in the photos. It's only the cake with the number 50 on it that confirms this fact, otherwise, one could easily think that it was a prom party and not a milestone birthday.


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Q&A on Harvard's financial report
In Milliseconds, Brain Zips From Thought To Speech
Harvard University's treasurer, Jim Rothenberg (left), and its chief financial officer, Dan Shore (right), discuss the annual report and the lessons learned in a tough economic climate.
Top financial officers Jim Rothenberg and Dan Shore explain the past, envision the future
It has long been routine Harvard practice to issue a detailed annual report on the condition of the University's finances. But last year was anything but a routine year. In a time of steep and broad declines in the financial markets, the University experienced unprecedented investment losses, mainly in its endowment, but also in its pooled cash investments and through interest-rate exchange agreements undertaken when Harvard was planning to move forward aggressively with an ambitious expansion of its campus. The University's treasurer, Jim Rothenberg, and its chief financial officer, Dan Shore, were asked to discuss the report released today and some of the lessons about risk and liquidity that Harvard learned over the past year.
GAZETTE: Last year was the toughest financial year in memory. The financial report reflects that. How troubling is the University's financial situation?
ROTHENBERG: No question, it was a sobering year. The markets dropped precipitously, and the losses were not just deep but broad. As is the case for many other institutions, our financial landscape looks very different from a year ago, even if one assumes a reasonable recovery. It's a difficult shift in perspective for a University that's become accustomed to steady, robust, across-the-board growth. And what's happened in the past year gives us plenty of cause for reflection on how we think about things like liquidity and risk – especially when the world changes suddenly and dramatically and in ways that defy our usual planning assumptions.
SHORE: All that said, for all the difficulties of the past year, Harvard's financial position remains fundamentally sound. We still have the largest university endowment, and an excellent team to manage it. Our investment approach, despite the past year, produced cumulative 10-year returns that far exceed what we would have realized from a "plain vanilla" 60-40 stock-bond portfolio. And, from what I can see, people across the University are stepping up and confronting our new realities. There are serious, broad-based efforts to reduce expenses, big and small. There's a lot of attention to managing risk more aggressively and making sure we have the liquidity and flexibility we need when unforeseen circumstances arise. There's a sense that, especially at a time like this, we have to face up to some redundancies and inefficiencies in how we've gotten used to doing things, as President Faust spoke about in her address last month.
GAZETTE: The investment losses reported in the financial report appear to be greater than the endowment losses recently reported by Harvard Management Company. How can you explain that?
ROTHENBERG: Beyond the $11B decline in the value of the endowment, the University also had a loss of approximately $1.8 billion in investments made alongside the endowment, and a loss of $500 million realized in connection with our interest rate exchange agreements. All of these losses were a function of last year's extraordinary market conditions.
GAZETTE: How do the University's investment strategies square with its responsibility to steward endowment funds to support the University for generations?
SHORE: There does need to be a balance between investing for long-term returns and managing for near-term needs, and we are now more conscious than ever of that balance, as Jane Mendillo made clear in HMC's annual endowment report. But circumstances of the last year left virtually no one immune.
ROTHENBERG: It's important to note that the University invests for the long term. If you look back over 10 years, HMC's investment strategies generated an average annual return of 8.9%, including last year's steep losses. That far exceeds the 1.5% that would have been generated with a "plain vanilla" portfolio. That said, we learned a great deal about risk and liquidity last year, and will incorporate those lessons going forward.
GAZETTE: Even allowing that an aggressive, nontraditional approach may make sense for investing the endowment, how do you respond to the argument that short-term funds should be invested more conservatively?
SHORE: We recognize the need to match near-term liabilities with more liquid assets. This matching was out of balance in recent years, and in fiscal 2008 we began rebalancing by moving some of these investments into safer, more liquid investment vehicles. That effort was suspended in fiscal 2009, but we already have resumed our rebalancing efforts.
At the same time, if you take the long view, the value of our pooled-cash investments is much greater today than it would have been had we invested more conservatively, even though that value dropped substantially this past year. As a result, in recent years we've been able to fund important "common good" investments, like graduate financial aid and the construction of graduate student housing, that we would have been hard-pressed to support otherwise.
GAZETTE: The report shows that the University saw significant losses on "interest rate exchange agreements." Can you explain what these agreements are and why the University invested in them?
ROTHENBERG: Interest rate exchange agreements, or "swaps," generally allow investors to convert variable-rate debt into fixed-rate debt. The University has long used such agreements, and in ordinary times it added a measure of predictability to the payments Harvard needed to make on its capital borrowing. When we were embarking on a multibillion-dollar capital expansion program in 2004, interest rates were quite low and the University entered into a large set of swaps in an effort to gain long-term budgetary protection and stability. When interest rates dropped precipitously, we scaled back our swap holdings substantially in order to relieve the liquidity pressures from their collateral requirements and strengthen our financial position moving forward.
SHORE: By terminating several of these agreements, along with other risk reduction measures, the liquidity risk of the portfolio has been managed to appropriate levels. We are constantly monitoring the changes in value of our portfolio of agreements, and if we need to take further action, we will.
GAZETTE: Other universities have used similar instruments, but aren't the interest rate agreements Harvard entered into considerably larger and longer-term?
ROTHENBERG: Compared to most universities, our use of interest rate swaps was certainly larger because the projected capital program that we were looking at was larger.
Allston presents us with a unique opportunity among our peers to create a major new extension of our campus that's adjacent to our current campus. In 2004, Allston expansion was a major focus, and we were planning that expansion aggressively. The financial strategies that we implemented were developed in that context. Last fall was a perfect-storm scenario: A precipitous drop in interest rates and liquidity considerations made it important for us to scale back the swaps substantially. That has come at a real cost, but at least we are now in a better risk position going forward.
GAZETTE: Did the unsettled leadership of the University and the Harvard Management Company in recent years result in a lack of vigilance over investment strategy?
ROTHENBERG: In times of change, there are always going to be challenges, especially when you are dealing with complicated investments. With that said, no one could have foreseen the past year's unprecedented declines in value across practically all asset classes, exacerbated by significant liquidity constraints. That created serious challenges for us as well as many other institutions. What we have experienced financially is a product of these sudden and precipitous changes more than anything else.
GAZETTE: What is the Corporation's responsibility for those investment decisions during this transition period?
ROTHENBERG: The President and Fellows have ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the University, including its finances. We take that responsibility very seriously, and we devote quite a lot of our time, especially these days, to matters of financial strategy and planning, thinking about how to balance present and future needs. The direct oversight of how we invest the endowment, in terms of how much we invest in different classes of assets, is carried out by Harvard Management Company's own board of directors, which I chair. But let's remember that this was a once-in-a-lifetime, hundred-year-storm kind of event. There weren't any reliable predictors of precisely when and how a global economic crisis would unfold, and there were valid arguments for why the strategies in place made sense both when they were made and right up until last fall. One thing we've learned from the experience of last year is the importance of greater integration in how we deal with our full range of interrelated debt and asset management issues, which gets into questions of how we think across the board about leverage and liquidity and risk.
GAZETTE: Who else provides advice on these issues?
ROTHENBERG: As I mentioned, the Corporation, in addition to the President and Fellows, and the University's financial team have primary responsibility for guiding the University's finances. With that said, we benefit from the strong investment management team at HMC, as well as the HMC board, which includes faculty, deans, alumni, and outside experts. We've also expanded the role and the membership of the Financial Management Committee. It's important that we have good systems in place to help us not only thrive when the economy is strong, but also buffer the downside for us when there are unanticipated shocks in the markets.
GAZETTE: If not for the University's liquidity issues, would the endowment and University have benefited more from the recent upturn in the markets?
ROTHENBERG: It's pretty clear when you look at the endowment returns for last year that Harvard did worse than some of our peers. But if you take a several-year look at it, even a two-year look at it, it's quite a different picture. So if you think about it from a little longer-term perspective, there's no real implication that Harvard hasn't participated in the markets. Perhaps it is more accurate to suggest that the strategies that allowed us to outperform in prior years were the same ones that caused us to underperform last year. As the University considers how best to manage the investment portfolio for both returns and liquidity, we may end up with strategies that take us further away from these "tails" on either end. But, without a doubt, we have a bigger endowment today because of the strategies that have served us well over time, and the University has benefited greatly from that.
SHORE: HMC actually got an early start last year managing liquidity so that our managers could put us back into a position to make new investments as soon as we could reasonably do so. As Jane Mendillo, the CEO of HMC, has said, we're actively looking at new investment opportunities, and are eager to pursue those that seem interesting to us.
GAZETTE: Given the losses reported today, should the University be braced for cuts to programs or staff?
ROTHENBERG: The losses reported in our financial statements are, to a large degree, already in the mindset of the University. We have been planning for reductions in endowment payout over a couple of years, as many other universities have. The hope is to arrive at a "new normal" reasonably soon, but thoughtfully, not abruptly.
SHORE: We have reported a significant loss, but let's not lose sight of the fact that the substantial majority of that loss relates to the fact that the endowment, which was $37 billion, is now $26 billion. We've internalized that for many months now as we saw last fall's decline in the markets. We've taken swift action to consider how we would adjust our budgets to accommodate significantly less income from the endowment. We've absorbed an 8% decrease in the amount of money we're taking out of the endowment this year. We're going to see another decrease of at least the same amount in the endowment payout next year. Our Schools and other units will continue to work hard to adjust to the University's new economic reality.
GAZETTE: Will the University continue to invest its pooled cash in investments that mirror the endowment?
SHORE: We are actively seeking to reduce the risk profile of the University's pooled cash investments. We actually began doing so in fiscal 2008, but suspended the program this past year to address high-priority efforts to manage liquidity in the General Investment Account.
ROTHENBERG: I think the likelihood is that the University will continue to invest portions of pooled cash alongside the endowment, but likely not to the same degree. We have great confidence in our investment team and their ability to provide strong, long-term returns to the University, though even with skilled investment management we certainly can't count on the kind of outsized returns that had become familiar over the decade or more leading up to last year's declines.
GAZETTE: How have investment strategies changed as a result of the lessons learned?
ROTHENBERG: Certainly our endowment investment model was successful for quite some time, and probably has led to something like $18 billion in greater returns over the past decade than a 60-40 stock-bond position would have yielded. But I think, yes, there are some changes already under way to increase flexibility, reduce leverage, and better position the portfolio for the future. These changes will strengthen the portfolio and better align it with the University's needs and risk parameters. Nevertheless, it is important to be realistic about expectations for future returns. For Harvard, as for almost every major investor, regaining the market value lost as a result of the recent global economic crisis will take time.


As soon as the team saw the plot, it went without saying that the house is going to be long-shaped, with all the main spaces directed towards nature. Long glass façade helped to extend the interior from inside to outside. With respect to nature, both us and the client came to a decision that a minimalist design will be created here. Bold lines, neat volume, quality and durable materials complement the nature, without any competition with it.
Architect – Rokas Masaitis, Aiste Tarutyte.
The house is designed in a new residential quarter in Kleboniškis. The shape and location of the house are selected without modifying the existing terrain and trying to minimize damage to existing trees on the site.
The C-shaped layout of the house partly replicates the edges of the plot, thus distancing itself from neighboring houses and creating a semi-open inner courtyard with a visual axis oriented to the river valley and the forest.
The house is designed on a remote site in the surroundings of Lampėdžiai forest pines. The shape and location of the house are selected without modifying the existing terrain and trying to minimizethedamage to existing trees.
Three volumes of the building are divided into a single unit at different levels of the ground, thus creating separate courtyard areas for different customer needs.
Vertically divided steel sheets cladding the walls and the roof are intended to emphasize the verticality of pines that grow around them. Meanwhile, naturally rusted metal "warmly" contrasts with the forest emphasizing the integrity of the building.
The house is designed in Mezklepji, the seaside village of Latvia surrounded by local nature.
All main and auxiliary facilities of the house are placed in a homogeneous two-storey form, which resembles a traditional rural architecture building. The aim is not to differentiate too much from the silhouettes of buildings in adjacent plots. Unconventional structural elements and materials are used to open more light to the rooms, thus adding more visual communication with nature.
The house is designed in a new residential quarter in Klaipeda.
Two volumes of different slopes are combined into one H-shaped form, emphasizing the different external and internal parts of the building.
The house is divided into two zones: One is designed for family members to be together and the other for family members'individual use. Both zones are separated with a cozy inner patio with a partially covered translucent roof.
The concept of the house came as soon as we saw the plot: rectangular, with a driving in from the north side, leaving all the south-west reserved for private family gatherings. The house itself is divided into two zones: sleeping and common areas, which both connected create a 'L-shaped plan'. Curved volume embraces a garden with a terrace, which is accessible from all the areas of the house. Organic turn of the façade blends into environment and merges two segments of the house into one long unit.


You are here » Home » Blog » News » Why Choose Conservatory Blinds?
Escapism is something that every person craves – and a conservatory or garden room offers a peaceful sanctuary. In order to be able to create a haven in your conservatory, blinds are needed to regulate the temperature, prevent glare, and 'finish' the room.
Without conservatory blinds, conservatories are victim to the extremes of the British climate – unbearably hot in the summer, and freezing in the winter. This is where Appeal comes in. With 20 years of experience Appeal offer sophisticated solutions to the problems faced by conservatory owners.
Conservatories have lots of different uses, and this will affect your blind choice.
Appeal's blinds provide the personality and individuality that your conservatory needs. Blinds help make the transformation from having an 'extra room' to having a 'fully functional room'.
As well as providing privacy, Appeal's ranges of unique blinds also have a much more practical function.
80% of summer heat gain and winter heat loss occurs through the roof of a glazed room. Appeal's exclusive Alu-Peat® and Solar R® Blinds regulate temperature by reflecting an amazing 85% of the sun's heat energy in the summer back outside, whilst insulating the glass space in the winter.
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Trump should get a clue on spaceflight from 'Hidden Figures'
By Douglas MacKinnon
Taraji P. Henson portrays Katherine Johnson in the film "Hidden Figures," set in the 1960s. (Hopper Stone / AP)
Quite simply, the movie "Hidden Figures" should be required viewing in the Trump White House, in Congress, throughout the federal government, in every corporate boardroom, and in every school and university in the nation.
While the film understandably takes certain liberties — a few composite characters and the compression of time — to tell the remarkable and beyond-inspirational stories of African-American "Computers" Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson in the 1960s, it is destined to touch people from all walks of life in truly meaningful ways for years to come.
No matter that "Hidden Figures" was nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay) and won none at Sunday night's 89th Academy Awards.
DouglasMacKinnonof Boca Raton is a former White House and Pentagon official and served as a space consultant to the U.S. government and the private sector.
When my wife and I saw the film two months into its run, the theater was still full. As I looked around, it was filled with an incredibly diverse audience. From the elderly, to teenagers, to couples, to people of color. The one thing all had in common was that when the film ended, everyone broke into spontaneous applause with a number of people giving the film a standing ovation.
President Trump should screen the film in the White House for a number of important reasons, not the least of which being the subject of human spaceflight. For within the film, Trump would see a confident and forward-looking President Kennedy articulating exactly why the United States of America had to be the pre-eminent space-faring nation on Earth and why the moon was the next logical step for the country.
For decades now, NASA has been rudderless and adrift. It has been that way because there has been little or no leadership from the president on down. No direction. Just a succession of presidents who truly did not see the value in the United States maintaining its pre-eminence in space, and who looked at NASA at best as a third-tier priority, or at worst as an annoyance.
"Hidden Figures" reminds us all that for at least one full decade, the American people were united as one in their support of a space program instilling national pride with a clearly defined and logical mission that was in the best interests of our country.
Next, on a human level, the president and Congress should screen the film to, first, be reminded of the racism and inequality that existed during that time, and, second, to then ponder what real progress has been made with regard to race relations and equality for women and all who might be discriminated against.
As a child, I grew up in abject poverty and often lived in black and minority neighborhoods. I witnessed racism up-close and personal, and after watching the film, I sat in my seat as the credits rolled, wondering what really was better in 2017 and what "Hidden Figures" with regard to racism were still being papered over?
Last, and quite wonderfully, "Hidden Figures" actually succeeds in removing the color of one's skin from the equation. As you watch the film, at the beginning you are called to notice that Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson are African-American women dealing with racism in 1961, coupled with inequality for women. But as the film progresses, you see them simply as three incredibly strong women. You see a single mom raising her three daughters with the help of her mom as she teaches her children right from wrong. You see a wonderful nuclear family where the husband and wife support each other, and you see a loving couple.
Instead of color, you see human dignity, courage, compassion, empathy and the will to go on against all odds.
"Hidden Figures" should be seen by all because it reminds us of what unites us as human beings and inspires us to reach for the stars and the next goal in life.
Douglas MacKinnon of Boca Raton is a former White House and Pentagon official and served as a space consultant to the U.S. government and the private sector.


Bianca Whyte has the kind of innate style you can't teach but when it comes to building a brand, she learned from the best.
Before launching her namesake label last year, the Queensland designer worked alongside Kardashian sisters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe, dressing Hollywood heavyweights including Cindy Crawford and Kelly Osbourne.
"While living in LA and designing for the Kardashian Kollection I worked very closely with the sisters and one of the things they taught me is to work hard and learn about the business of branding," Bianca says.
"That's why I have used Whyte Studio - Whyte being my surname - and it feels much more personal.
"Another aspect I learned from (them) is how to design for curves and embrace them.
The sporty suggestion threaded through Whyte Studio's latest collection, however, is all Bianca. The streamlined silhouettes, functional jackets and edgy buckle details are an insight into the former champion motocross rider's unique foray into fashion.
"My dad was a racer and he introduced me to motocross when I was four," she says.
"It was a natural transition into professional racing lateron.
"I was always disappointed in the women's motocross wear and wanted to design something that would be functional and stylish, so that's how I started.
Bianca, who also moonlights as a DJ, divides her time between the UK and US but her hometown still figures in her goal to make Whyte Studio a household name.
"I was born in Brisbane and my family has a couple of properties on the Gold Coast, so that's where we would spend most of our weekends and holidays," she says.
The collection's lightweight trench, polished powder-blue shorts and smart-stitch knit dress could be tailor-made for our sunny style, when luxe layers are a practical answer for kinder winters.
"All of my pieces are so easy to wear from day to night and for work too - it's all about understated styling and smart tailoring," Bianca says.
"I think investing in a leather bomber like our Reformed Leather Jacket is a must.
"The Civil Knit Dress is such a great statement piece and looks great with trainers as well as heels for a more dressed-up look.


LVL UP Sports is always looking for high energy, hard working and exciting individuals to join our team.
-DO NOT apply if you can't work weekends.
2) Do not follow up on your application. If you fill out the form below, we received it and will get back to you during our next hiring session if we think you'll be a good fit.
Why Do You Want to Work for LVL Up?
Do you have an outgoing personality? Life of the party? Love having fun and working outside?
At LVL UP, our main focus is on customer service. We feel that all of our customers deserve to have the time of their lives every time they come to Grove City to see us. If you can help us on that mission, we encourage you to apply.
Stop by any Saturday or Sunday to fill out an application to become our next team member.
Join an exciting new startup on their mission to bring epic paintball outings to OSU students, local businesses, sports teams and more! Obtain priceless marketing, sales and professional experience (and have fun doing it) in a fast-paced, modern environment. Work both from your laptop creating marketing assets and written content, from your phone covering live events with all the fun social media outlets, and outside at our brand new paintball park being a part of the action.
Absolutely no prior paintball or action sports experience are required, but outgoing adrenaline junkies will love this opportunity and are preferred. You will not have to play paintball during this internship, but if you want to it's always on the house.


Professional Website Development From Webati - Suits Any Budget!
Home » Professional Website Development From Webati – Suits Any Budget!
Professional Website Development From Webati – Suits Any Budget!
Let's say that your company has a beautifully designed website. It is aesthetically pleasing, and you have received many compliments on it. However, if your website is not effectively selling your company's products or services, then no matter how beautiful it looks, it is useless. Not to sound too harsh, but you will be out of business before you know. This is where professional website development from Webati can assist your company.
Our in house team of professional developers, graphic artists, copywriters, and many more specialize in the technologies that are needed to create a compelling and motivating website for your business. This list of technologies includes Java, HTML 5, MS SQL, Silverlight, DNN, and so much more. We believe in utilizing a wide variety of platforms to produce unique website development for each client.
It doesn't matter what you are looking for, whether you would like to have a customized web portal or a fully equipped membership area. We can create any type of advanced system that you believe will make your website unique and entertaining for visitors. There is no challenge to big or small for Webati to handle.
Your business's website is literally its window to the world. Professional website development can equip your business to harness the power of the Internet in your favor by reaching millions of potential clients that you would not normally be able to. Having the right website make your business competitively on a global scale.
Now, that you know that your business needs professional website development, contact us at Webati today. If you are unsure if you will be able to afford website development or are unsure of how to proceed, we can provide the guidance and solutions that you are looking for. Our professional customer service staff is standing by to take your calls, and we are eager to work out a strategy for website development that will benefit your business.


Here you have a list of opinions about permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas and you can also give us your opinion about it.
You will see other people's opinions about permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas and you will find out what the others say about it.
In the image below, you can see a graph with the evolution of the times that people look for permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas. And below it, you can see how many pieces of news have been created about permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas in the last years.
Thanks to this graph, we can see the interest permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas has and the evolution of its popularity.
What do you think of permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas?
You can leave your opinion about permanent committee for islamic research and issuing fatwas here as well as read the comments and opinions from other people about the topic.


Are shirts with spandex (or lycra or whatever) in them worth buying? Are they better or worse?
It depends on what kind of shirts.
On one hand, lycra and spandex in shirts tend to make slightly tighter/more fitted shirts look better. Rather than outright buckling at the seams or at the buttons, spandex/lycra shirts tend to have a bit of give that may (slightly) hide any sort of pulling that would otherwise be very evident on other shirts. With such stretch capability in shirts, movements that normally would pull at unyielding cotton (for example, moving both arms forward and pulling at the back when wearing a very fitted shirt) yield nicely. Some people find this more comfortable overall.
On the other hand, lycra/spandex shirts are MUCH harder to iron. In addition, some cotton/spandex blends can have an odd weave to them, though that speaks more to brand than to the content itself.
With that being said, I personally think that casual shirts (like military shirts by Express, which have lycra) do well with spandex, as you can fit them tighter with little trouble. With dress shirts, it depends on your personal taste, though it is important to note that it is leagues more difficult to iron them.


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Revised standards approved by the PEFC General Assembly
We are delighted to announce that three revised PEFC standards were approved by the PEFC General Assembly. The standards will enter into force on 14 February 2020.
21 January 2020 PEFC system news
Three standards that further strengthen PEFC's Sustainability Benchmarks and assist in safeguarding forests globally have been approved by the PEFC General Assembly. The revised standards, which govern chain of custody certification, trademark use, and conformity assessment, will enter into force on 14 February 2020.
Most notable are changes to the chain of custody standard, specifically the expansion of the definition of controversial sources.
The Chain of Custody standard lays out the requirements that a company must meet to achieve PEFC chain of custody certification.
Chain of custody establishes the link from the forest to the market, tracking forest-based material from sustainable sources to the final product. The Chain of Custody standard lays out the requirements that a company must meet to achieve PEFC chain of custody certification. This includes requirements to avoid "controversial sources" - material not to be used in certified products.
The updated definition of controversial sources now incorporates additional sustainability requirements, enabling companies along the entire timber value chain, including those far removed from the forest, to help promote responsible forestry beyond the purchase of certified wood.
The updated definition requires companies to avoid material originating from unsustainable activities, including those where:
ecologically important forest areas are not identified, protected, conserved or set aside;
the spirit of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) is not met;
forest conversions occur;
forest management does not contribute to the maintenance, conservation or enhancement of biodiversity on landscape, ecosystem, species or genetic levels; and
the capability of forests to produce a range of wood and non-wood forest products and services on a sustainable basis is not maintained or harvesting levels exceed a rate that can be sustained in the long term.
Genetically modified trees, as well as conflict timber, is also not allowed.
Certified companies continue to need to implement requirements relating to health, safety and labour issues that are based on ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Also, the chain of custody standard introduces the new claim "100% PEFC Origin", which is only available for products that contain 100% material from PEFC-certified forests that has been physically separated from any non-certified wood a company may be using.
The new trademark standard, which replaces the PEFC Logo usage rules, strengthens the consistent use of PEFC trademarks worldwide, while also making it easier for consumers to understand what the PEFC logo stands for.
The new trademark standard strengthens the consistent use of PEFC trademarks worldwide.
Importantly, it requires companies to use the PEFC Label Generator, a free and easy to use online tool that enables the quick creation of PEFC trademarks, to ensure alignment with our requirements.
Auditors are now subject to additional training requirements for conducting PEFC chain of custody certification. This further safeguards the integrity of the conformity assessment process, and ensures that specifics concerning PEFC requirements, including e.g. the expanded definition of controversial sources, international conventions on worker's rights and labour contracts, or collective bargaining agreements, are accurately verified.
In line to our commitment to gender responsive standards, certification bodies now need to consider gender equity within the personnel involved in the certification activities.
The three standards were approved by the PEFC General Assembly on 17 January 2020, and they will enter into force 14 February 2020, replacing the previous versions. There is an 18-month transition period, after which all users of the standards will need to be in line with the latest requirements.
More information regarding the transition to the latest versions of these standards will be provided shortly.
Chain of Custody, PEFC ST 2002:2020
PEFC Trademarks Rules, PEFC ST 2001:2020
Certification Body Requirements – Chain of Custody, PEFC ST 2003:2020
PEFC Certification Bodies Requirements – Introduction to changes
Call for nominations: PEFC Chain of Custody Working Group
PEFC Chain of Custody and PEFC Trademarks public consultations over


Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium; skim white milk solids from surface, and discard. Add hazelnuts to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until butter and nuts begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and keep warm.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of the crabs to skillet; cook until browned and done, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked crabs to a platter, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Repeat with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, half of crabs, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle with warm butter and nut mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.


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The Coronavirus and MS: What You Need to Know
Mom's Story
A discussion about Mom's Story and MS…
Archive for the tag "Studies"
Researchers Recruiting People with Primary Progressive MS for Genetics Studies – Key to finding treatment options
Primary progressive MS is characterized by steadily worsening neurologic function from the onset of the disease. There are still many gaps in the knowledge we have about what differentiates relapsing-remitting from primary progressive MS, and the underlying mechanisms of primary progressive MS. The MS Genetics Group at the University of California San Francisco is recruiting people with primary progressive MS for a research study involving a one-time blood sample donation with the goal of identifying genetic factors driving the course of the disease. The team also is looking for people without MS who are not related to serve as controls. The team hopes to identify the major genetic factors that play a role in disease presentation and progression. Please note: you do not have to be located in or travel to California to participate. Everything for the study can be done remotely and is free of charge to participants.
Rationale: Specific subtle variations in the human genome are known to play a role in determining who is susceptible to developing multiple sclerosis, and may also influence the course of the disease. People living with MS can make a difference in studies searching for these genes by donating their DNA with a blood sample. Identifying the exact location and role of MS genes could help determine who is at risk for developing the disease and can provide clues to its cause, prevention, and lead to better treatments.
Details: Once an individual has completed the initial online intake form, they will receive a call from the study coordinator to discuss details and answer any questions. The consent form and health information privacy form can be signed electronically. Participants will then be emailed a link to two additional short online surveys and sent a blood-collection kit. The kit includes everything necessary for the blood draw, which can be taken to your local Quest Diagnostics Lab and returned in a prepaid envelope to the lab at UCSF. There is no cost to participants.
Contact: To participate or request additional information, please complete a brief intake survey.
OR you may contact UCSF directly:
UCSF Multiple Sclerosis Genetic Susceptibility Project
675 Nelson Rising Lane, Suite 235A, Box 3206
Email: msdb@ucsf.edu
Toll Free Phone: 1-866-MS-Genes (1-866-674-3637) or Office Phone: (415) 502-7202
Posted in multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Uncategorized and tagged California, genetics, MS, MS Society, multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Primary Progressive MS, Progressive MS, research, Studies, tests, trial, UCSF, volunteer | Leave a comment
New Research on Lemtrada Reveals Insights into the Cause of Potential Side Effects
Researchers in the U.K. have evaluated additional findings about the immune-system impacts of Lemtrada® (alemtuzimab, Sanofi Genzyme), a disease-modifying therapy for treating people with relapsing MS.
The team used data from phase 3 clinical trials submitted to the European Medicines Agency during the drug's successful approval process. Some of this data was previously reported at medical meetings and in Lemtrada's prescribing information.
Among their findings, they report that Lemtrada caused long-term reduction of specific immune cells (memory B and T cells, including regulatory T cells). They also found that the body rapidly repopulated an overabundance of immature B cells.
They propose that the blockade of memory B and T cells drives the beneficial effects of Lemtrada.
They also speculate that the known potential side effect for autoimmune thyroid disease and other autoimmune disorders may be triggered by the overabundance of immature B cells that occurs when there are few regulatory T cells to keep them in check.
Studies like this one, which reveal more information about a therapy's mode of action, are important and may also lead to insights about how to reduce side effects.
Drs. Klaus Schmierer, David Baker and others at the Queen Mary University of London report their findings in JAMA Neurology, published online June 12, 2017.
Read the open-access paper in JAMA Neurology
Read about Lemtrada
Read more about treating MS
Lemtrada is a registered trademark of Sanofi Genzyme
Posted in multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Uncategorized and tagged Lemtrada, MS, MS Society, multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, side effects, Studies, tests, trial | Leave a comment
Dawson's Fingers ???
"Dawson's fingers" is the name for the lesions around the ventricle-based brain veins of patients with multiple sclerosis. The condition is thought to be the result of inflammation or mechanical damage by blood pressure around long axis of medular veins.
Dawson's fingers spread along, and from, large periventricular collecting veins, and are attributed to perivenular inflammation.
Lesions far away from these veins are known as Steiner's splashes.
Sometimes experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis has been triggered in humans by accident or medical mistake. The damage in these cases fulfils all the pathological diagnostic criteria of MS and can therefore be classified as MS in its own right. The lesions were classified as pattern II in the Lucchinetti system. This case of human EAE also showed Dawson fingers.
Posted in multiple sclerosis, Uncategorized and tagged brain, immune system, MS, multiple sclerosis, Myelin, nerve fibers, Neurology, research, Studies | Leave a comment
New MS Research
This month in Lancet Neurology, a Canadian research team reports there is a pre-clinical phase in MS. The study used health administration records from four Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia). Due to the nature of the Canadian health-care system, these provinces have computerized health-care records on >99% of residents, including hospital discharges, physician billing, prescription on records, and dates of all medical visits – all records can be linked by a unique health-care number assigned to individuals. Using these records, medical histories for 14,428 MS cases and 72,059 controls were included for this study. They compared health-care utilization in the same five-year period prior MS diagnosis between cases and temporally matched controls.
Interestingly, five years before a MS diagnosis, the number of hospital admissions for people who eventually developed MS was 26% higher than controls, and this increased to 78% higher a year before MS diagnosis. A similar pattern was observed for physician billing (5 years before diagnosis: 24% higher in people with MS than controls; 1 year before diagnosis: 88% higher in people with MS than controls). There was also a substantial increase in the number of prescribed drug classes in people with MS compared to controls (5 years before diagnosis: 23% higher; 1 year before diagnosis: 49% higher). These results clearly demonstrate a pre-clinical stage for MS where subtle symptoms exist before clinically definitive symptoms (also known as a prodromal stage). With further research, we can explore these subtle symptoms and hopefully diagnose MS earlier and initiate therapeutics earlier, slowing the rate of progression of MS.
From: When do MS symptoms start? By Farren Briggs PhD, ScM; The Accelerated Care Project for Multiple Sclerosis
Posted in multiple sclerosis, Uncategorized and tagged Canada, health care, Healthcare, MS, multiple sclerosis, Neurology, research, Studies, study, tests, therapy, treatment | Leave a comment
Researchers Recruiting African Americans with MS Across the U.S. for Genetics Studies – Key to finding cause of MS and better treatments
Rationale: Genes are known to play a role in determining who is susceptible to developing multiple sclerosis, and may also influence the course of the disease. People living with MS can make a difference in studies searching for these genes by donating their DNA from blood samples. Identifying the exact location of MS genes could help determine who is at risk for developing the disease and may provide clues to its cause, prevention, and better treatment. Focusing on ethnic groups with lower susceptibility to MS (such as African-Americans) and higher susceptibility (such as individuals of Northern European descent), and searching for what is common and what is different in their genes may help pinpoint regions that contain MS genes. Large numbers of participants are needed to accelerate this research.
Details: It is not necessary to travel to San Francisco to participate in this study. Once an individual has completed the initial online intake form and has agreed to participate, they are emailed the links to two additional online forms and sent a kit via express mail. The kit includes a consent form, a health information privacy form, and a medical records release form. The kit also includes everything necessary for the blood draw, which can be taken to your local Quest Diagnostics Lab, where the blood can be drawn and then returned in a prepaid envelope to the UCSF MS Genetics Lab. There is no cost to the study participants.
Contact: To participate or request additional information, please complete our brief intake survey.
OR you may contact us directly:
Website: http://msgenetics.ucsf.edu/index.html
Toll Free Phone: 1-866-MS-Genes (1-866-674-3637)
Posted in multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and tagged African American, California, children, ethnic groups, family, generic, genes, MS, research, research studies, Studies, study, tests | Leave a comment
Study Finds That Some Family Members of People with MS Show Possible Early Signs of the Disease without Symptoms
As part of a large-scale "Genes & Environment in MS" (GEMS) study to understand factors that lead to the development of multiple sclerosis, researchers analyzed the genes and backgrounds of individuals who had no symptoms of MS, but who had close family members with MS.
Based on that analysis, researchers identified a group of 40 women at higher risk for developing MS, and 25 women at lower risk. Extensive neurological testing and MRI scanning uncovered possible neurological abnormalities in the higher risk group, and MRI abnormalities in a small proportion of both groups.
"At this time, we are developing strategies to manage the risk of MS, but there is, as yet, no specific recommendation," explains co-author Dr. Phillip De Jager. "Family members should be reassured that the vast majority of family members will not develop MS."
The team (including Zongqi Xia, MD, PhD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Daniel S. Reich, MD, PhD, of National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD) has published results in JAMA Neurology (published online January 17, 2017).
This study was supported by the National MS Society and the National Institutes of Health, and the Society helped to recruit participants. Two of the study authors – Daniel S. Reich, MD, PhD, and Philip L. De Jager, MD, PhD – are winners of the prestigious Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research.
Background: An individual's risk of developing MS increases if a close family member has MS. There is currently no way to predict which family members will develop MS. The goal of the Genes & Environment in MS (GEMS) study is to identify the genetic, environmental and immune profiles that may increase a person's risk of developing MS. Researchers are recruiting 5,000 subjects who have at least one first-degree relative with a diagnosis of MS. The GEMS Study is gathering genetic material (DNA) and environmental exposure history from participants as well as blood samples and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an option. Investigators are classifying participants using the Genetic and Environmental Risk Score for MS Susceptibility (GERSMS), an experimental approach which incorporates genetic information and environmental exposures to identify people at higher or lower risk of developing MS.
The Study: As part of this large-scale, ongoing study, researchers looked at 65 women who are first-degree relatives of people with MS. The GERSMS indicated that 40 of these women were at higher risk of developing MS, and 25 women were at lower risk of developing MS. These women underwent a comprehensive neurologic examination and MRI scans.
Women in the higher risk group had less than normal vibration sensitivity in their big toes, a finding that indicates potential nerve dysfunction. A small percentage of the women in both groups had more MRI abnormalities associated with MS than one would expect to find in the general population.
The team (Zongqi Xia, MD, PhD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, and Daniel S. Reich, MD, PhD, of National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD) has published results in JAMA Neurology (published online January 17, 2017).
Next Steps: In this study, women at high risk for MS showed possible early manifestations of the disease. "The goal of the Genes & Environment Study is to understand the sequence of events that leads someone to develop MS," explains co-author Dr. De Jager. "At this time, we are developing strategies to manage the risk of MS, but there is, as yet, no specific recommendation. Family members should be reassured that the vast majority of family members will not develop MS." He notes that the study did not test the possibility of preventive strategies, such as vitamin D supplementation. "Taking vitamin D is good for bone health, and MS family members should discuss taking such supplements with their physician."
Read more about research to find the genetic and environmental underpinnings of MS
Posted in multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Uncategorized and tagged family, generic, genetic risk factors, MS, MS Society, National MS Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, NMSS, research, Studies, symptoms, women
World's Largest MS Research Conference Highlights Advances in Progressive MS, Gut Microbiome, Managing Symptoms, and New Approaches to Restoring Function
Results from clinical trials, including new approaches to treating progressive MS, lifestyle and wellness research and myelin repair strategies were among more than 2,000 presentations made at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ECTRIMS) meeting held in London, England in September.
The world's largest gathering of MS researchers convened more than 9,000 scientists and clinicians and industry representatives from across the globe, including many National MS Society-funded researchers, meeting and presenting on cutting-edge MS research progress. In addition, the European Rehabilitation in MS network met jointly with ECTRIMS this year.
Read blogs and announcements from the meeting
Explore scientific summaries (abstracts) on the ECTRIMS Website
During the conference, the International Progressive MS Alliance announced new investments of over $14 million US dollars to support three Collaborative Network Awards. These international teams were selected to accelerate the pace of research in key areas to speed new therapies for progressive MS.
Below are highlights of presentations focused on stopping MS, restoring function, and ending MS forever. In most cases, studies presented are considered preliminary. Many will be analyzed more thoroughly, and likely published in peer-reviewed journals.
STOPPING MS
Many presentations showed continued benefits of available therapies and longer-term safety information, as well as more evidence that early and ongoing treatment with a disease-modifying therapy has long-term benefits for controlling disease activity, delaying accumulation of disability, and protecting quality of life.
Siponimod in secondary progressive MS: More details were presented from a 60-month, phase 3 clinical trial of the experimental oral therapy siponimod (Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG) involving 1,651 people with secondary progressive MS. The trial met its primary endpoint, with those on active treatment showing a modest 21% reduced risk of disability progression compared to those on placebo. Secondary endpoints suggested that those on active therapy had 23.4% lower average change in brain volume and reduced MRI-detected lesion volume. The medication showed a similar safety profile to others that work by preventing white blood cells from entering the central nervous system. (Abstract #250)
More details from trial of lipoic acid in secondary progressive MS: Dr. Rebecca Spain and colleagues (Oregon Health & Science University) presented results from a small, controlled clinical trial on the oral anti-oxidant supplement called lipoic acid in people with secondary progressive MS. The lipoic acid group had 66% less brain tissue shrinkage, or atrophy, than the group taking inactive placebo pills. This pilot study suggests potential benefits if they hold up in a larger trial. (Abstract #222)
New results on gut bacteria: Efforts are advancing to pinpoint bacteria in the gut that may drive inflammatory immune system activity in MS and others that can suppress it, which may open the door to novel probiotic or other therapeutic approaches to treating MS.
Drs. Yan Wang, Lloyd Kasper and colleagues (Dartmouth Medical School and Eastern Washington University) reported that treating mice with the gut-related molecule called polysaccharide A (PSA) expanded a type of immune cells called "Regulatory B cells" (Bregs) which promote an immune response that prevents mice from getting MS-like disease. (Abstract #181) Members of this team also reported that PSA had positive effects in mice with progressive MS-like disease. (Abstract #P465)
Dr. Sergio Baranzini (University of California, San Francisco) and other collaborators in the National MS Society-supported MS Microbiome Consortium are analyzing gut bacteria to unearth clues about MS susceptibility and progression. They analyzed bacteria in stool samples from 64 people with MS who had received treatment for MS, and 68 people without MS. Certain bacteria were increased in people with MS, and those bacteria increased immune cells (T helper 1 cells) that are major players in MS immune attacks. Another type of bacteria that could suppress the immune attack was reduced. (Abstract #179)
Disappointing results for nerve-protection approaches: A small two-year clinical trial of fluoxetine (same compound as the anti-depressant Prozac) did not meet its goal of improving walking speed in people with progressive MS. The multi-center team from Belgium is still analyzing other results, such as changes in MRI and cognition. (Abstract #253) Likewise, a trial conducted at the University of Oxford tested the ability of amiloride to protect against nerve damage in people with acute optic neuritis (often an early sign of MS) failed to show any neuroprotective benefit. (Abstract #102) Additional trials of neuroprotective approaches to MS are ongoing.
Vitamin D deficiency and smoking linked to progression: Dr. Maria Isabel Zuluaga and team (Vall d'Hebron University, Barcelona) explored the independent impacts of smoking and vitamin D deficiency in a large group of people followed over time. They found that those with severe vitamin D deficiency (defined as blood levels at less than 8 ng/ml) showed an increased risk for MS disability, and active smokers also had an increased risk for disability progression. (Abstract #252) Graduate student Ms. Eva Rosa Petersen (Danish MS Center, Copenhagen) also found that smoking intensity was linked with higher frequency of relapses among people taking interferon beta. Smoking one pack of cigarettes per day increased relapse rates by 25%. (Abstract #178)
Vitamin D added to Rebif: A large international trial did not show a statistical difference between treatment groups after adding vitamin D (14,000 IU [350 µg] vitamin D3 daily) or placebo to Rebif therapy in relapsing MS, in terms of the percent of participants who were free from disease activity after 48 weeks. Dr. Raymond Hupperts (Orbis Medical Centre, Sittard-Geleen, The Netherlands), who presented results, noted that both groups were stable, which likely contributed to the inconclusive results. (Abstract #166)
Biomarkers under development: Teams are making headway toward having a simple test that can predict a person's disease course, progression and response to therapy. Dr. Bibiana Bielekova (National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke) and team examined proteins in the spinal fluid of people with neurological diseases, including all types of MS, and identified a "signature" of markers that distinguished MS from other diseases, and also differentiated relapsing MS from progressive MS. (Abstract #219). Other investigators also reported progress in this area, including advances using "neurofilament light chain" as a biomarker. (Such as Abstracts #183, #249) These early results need further development but indicate that sensitive biomarkers for predicting disease course and response to therapy may become useful tools for the clinical management of MS.
RESTORING FUNCTION – WELLNESS, LIFESTYLE, SYMPTOMS
Home-based rehabilitation can work: With funding from the National MS Society, Dr. Gabriel Pardo (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation) and colleagues compared the benefits of three approaches to rehabilitation for gait and balance in a small study: unsupervised home-based exercise 5 times/week; home-based exercise supervised remotely by a physical therapist 2-3 times per week via audio and visual conferencing; and home-based exercise plus in-person physical therapy 2-3 times/week. They found that all participants improved, and that the telerehabilitation program worked as well as the onsite program to improve gait and balance. Further research in larger trials could make telerehabilitation a cost-effective and more accessible alternative for people with MS. (Abstract #120)
Tackling fatigue: Dr. Vincent de Groot (VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam) reported results from three clinical trials testing different strategies over 16 weeks to lessen fatigue, in 90 people with MS: aerobic training, cognitive behavioral therapy, and energy conservation management. Only cognitive behavioral therapy effectively reduced severe fatigue in this short-term study. This is a commonly available type of psychotherapy. (Abstract #142) Read more about managing fatigue
Pain more common than previously reported: Dr. Carolyn Young (University of Liverpool) and colleagues found that nearly 66% of over 700 people with MS reported nerve pain. Higher levels were found in those who had MS for a longer time, had more severe disability, or were not working. (Abstract #P337) Read more about addressing pain in MS
New trial confirms Ampyra (fampridine) benefits: Dr. Jeremy Hobart (Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust) presented results from a large clinical trial of fampridine, a twice-a-day oral therapy that was previously approved for its ability to improve walking.. This trial wanted to show evidence that its benefits include meaningful functional improvements for people. The results over 6 months showed that 43% of those on active therapy had significantly better self-reported walking ability, mobility, and balance than those on placebo, with no new safety issues reported. (Abstract #254)
Cognitive rehabilitation enhances brain connections: Several studies showed that rehabilitation to improve cognition goes hand-in-hand with changes in brain connectivity (how areas of the brain interact). While many of these treatments are still experimental, some are available from rehabilitation specialists such as speech pathologists or neuropsychologists. Discuss options with your MS doctor:
Dr. Brian Sandroff (Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ) and colleagues showed that treadmill training improved information processing speed and brain connectivity in a small pilot study funded by the Society. (Abstract #P796)
Dr. Pietro Iaffaldano (University of Bari, Italy) and colleagues showed that a home-based computerized training program that targeted specific cognitive issues improved overall cognitive function significantly more than a non-specific program. Also, those who had less function in certain brain areas showed greater improvement after cognitive training. (Abstract #145)
Oiane Rilo (University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain) and colleagues showed that a three-month, group-based cognitive rehabilitation program improved working memory, information processing speed, verbal memory and executive function (which is important in problem solving and planning), and altered brain connectivity. (Abstract #144)
Emerging treatment for muscle spasticity: Dr. Daniel Kantor (Kantor Neurology, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) and colleagues report that in a trial of 354 people with relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive MS, Arbaclofen Extended Release Tablets (Osmotica Pharmaceuticals) significantly reduced spasticity compared to baclofen. The extended-release tablets caused significantly less sleepiness, drowsiness and dizziness than baclofen. (Abstract #128) The company reports that it has filed for FDA approval of Arbaclofen.
RESTORING FUNCTION – NERVOUS SYSTEM REPAIR
More Anti-LINGO Results: In June 2016 Biogen announced that its phase 2 clinical trial of anti-LINGO (proposed name opicinumab), an approach to repair myelin, did not meet its primary endpoint of improvement in physical function, cognitive function, or disability. The trial involved 418 people with relapsing MS who were taking interferon beta-1a (Avonex) plus one of several doses of intravenous opicinumab or placebo for 72 weeks. Dr. Diego Cadavid from the company described ongoing evaluations from the extensive testing and monitoring during the trial, which are helping to pinpoint the patient population, dosage and outcome measures that would inform the design of any future trials of anti-LINGO. (Abstract #192)
Myelin repair in pediatric and adult MS: Dr. Sabine Pfeifenbring (University of Göttingen, Germany) and an international team analyzed brain biopsies from children who had been diagnosed with MS and compared the extent of damage and natural myelin repair against those of adults with MS. They found that children showed less damage to myelin-making cells and more evidence of myelin repair than adults. However, some myelin repair was found to occur at virtually all ages in MS. (Abstract #194)
Exercise enhances myelin repair in mice: To investigate some reasons why exercise promotes benefits in people with MS, Drs. S. Jensen and Wee Yong (University of Calgary) did a study where mice with myelin damage in their spinal cords used running wheels soon after the injury. They reported finding more evidence of generation of myelin-making cells and myelin repair in the active mice than those that did not use the running wheels after injury. (Abstract: #P1210)
Emerging approaches to protection and repair: Dr. Martin Sanders (Io therapeutics) presented results from mice suggesting that the compound IRX4204 promotes repair of damaged myelin in mice. He noted that previous studies suggested that IRX4204 also showed signs of reducing immune attacks and protecting against nerve loss. This work was supported in part by a National MS Society's Fast Forward investment. (Abstract #193)
Drs. Sarah Starossom, Samia Khoury and team (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston) reported on studies of Chi3l3, a naturally occurring molecule in the brain that can stimulate the transformation of resident stem cells into myelin-making cells. The team noted that it plays an important role in recovery from the MS-like disease in mice, and may have potential for development as a new treatment approach in MS. (Abstract #195)
Posted in multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Uncategorized and tagged fatigue, health, MS, multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, NMSS, research, research studies, Siponimod, Studies, writing | Leave a comment
Studies Uncover Possible New Factors That Alter a Person's Risk for Developing MS
Two recent studies have uncovered new lifestyle factors that may influence whether a person develops multiple sclerosis or not:
Harvard researchers — including National MS Society-funded Dr. Cassandra Munger — reported that children whose mothers were deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy may have nearly twice the risk of developing MS. Additional research is needed to confirm and understand this finding.
Read more on Endocrinology Advisor
Read the free-access journal article
On the flip side, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Johns Hopkins University reported that people who drank about four cups of coffee daily had a lower risk of developing MS compared to those who did not drink coffee. Further research is needed to understand this link.
MORE: Research on risk factors is complicated, and cause and effect are difficult to establish. It's important to note that not every mother with low levels of vitamin D will have a child who develops MS, and not everyone who drinks large amounts of coffee will avoid developing MS.
Read more about risk factors for MS
Posted in multiple sclerosis, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Uncategorized and tagged "chronic diseases", coffee, MS, MS risk factor, MS Society, multiple sclerosis, National MS Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, NMSS, reseach, Studies, vitamin D | Leave a comment
The Latest on Stem Cell Treatment
Recent media reports have featured news about a clinical trial involving harvesting a person's own stem cells to treat aggressive multiple sclerosis.
• This treatment, called autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), attempts to "reboot" the immune system, which is believed to launch attacks on the brain and spinal cord in people with MS.
• HSCT is under investigation in clinical trials in Canada, the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Clinical trials are needed to fully understand the benefits and risks of HSCT in MS, and who might benefit most from this approach, since it does not seem to be effective in all types of MS.
• In HSCT, stem cells from a person's own bone marrow or blood are stored, and the rest of the individual's immune cells are depleted usually by chemotherapy. Then the stored stem cells are reintroduced and over time they produce new cells that repopulate the body with immune cells.
• There is exciting progress being made through innovative research related to the potential of many types of stem cells both for slowing MS disease activity and for repairing damage to the nervous system.
• At present, there are no approved stem cell therapies for MS. Stem cell therapy is in the experimental stage, and it's important for people to have the best available information to understand this exciting area of research and make decisions related to this complex issue.
• In November 2015, the International Conference on Cell-Based Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis was convened by the National MS Society and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, bringing leading researchers and clinicians together to confer on clinical trials needed to provide answers about which types of cells, which route of delivery, and which types and stages of disease, would be the most promising approach for treating MS. A summary and consensus on next steps will be published by the conference organizers, with recommendations to help speed the development of new cell-based treatment solutions.
• With the urgent need for more effective treatments for MS, particularly for those with more progressive forms of the disease, we believe that the potential of all types of cell therapies must be explored. The Society is currently supporting 12 research projects exploring various types of stem cells, including cells derived from bone marrow, fat and skin, and has supported 68 stem cell studies over the past 10 years.
Posted in National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Uncategorized and tagged clinical trial, immune cells, MS, MS Society, multiple sclerosis, National MS Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, NMSS, reseach, research studies, stem cells, Studies, study, therapy, treatment, treatments, trial | Leave a comment
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Chris Kowitz was sports editor of the Corvallis Gazette-Times from September 14, 1953, to April 18 or 19, 1957. Besides attending countless sporting events and writing hundreds if not thousands of articles, he wrote four hundred ninety-six "Kriss Kross" columns and fifteen "Woods and Water" columns. "Off the Beat" was a daily column that appeared on page one of the Gazette-Times for many years, beginning June 23, 1952, typically under a different byline each day of the week. Chris wrote the column every Tuesday from September 22, 1953, to April 16, 1957, except for two weeks each August when he was on vacation, and Christmas Day 1956 and New Year's Day 1957, when the newspaper was not published.


On his first day in office, Barack Obama issued two memos on the subject of a transparency in US government, calling for greater openness of information across all federal agencies.
A government database of all phone and e-mail traffic in Britain is now being considered, according to British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
The denial finally ends, and the vindication of critics begins. Premier Election Solutions Inc.
A federal appeals court has overruled a lower court ruling that, if sustained, if allowed to stand, could have neutered popular copyleft licenses such as the GPL and Creative Commons licenses.
"It's grass-roots technology in a top-down organization," said Eric M.
EU and US nearing agreement to share private info on citizens to "fight crime"
Who owns your cellphone tracking data? Is it you, or is it companies like Sense Networks, Inrix, and Path Intelligence?
GO TIM Revision Control for Government!


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Home : Classic 45s Artist : The Bee Gees Log In | Create an Account | Cart Contents | Checkout | Contact Us
Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb-better known as the Bee Gees-are among the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history. They rank sixth on the all-time top-sellers list, having sold 64 million albums to date. Only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees. The trio's contributions to 1977's Saturday Night Fever pushed that soundtrack album past the 40 million mark. It reigned as the top-selling album in history until Michael Jackson's Thriller-an album that Jackson has acknowledged was inspired by Saturday Night Fever-surpassed it in the Eighties. Saturday Night Fever and 1979's Spirits Having Flown combined to yield six #1 hits, making the Bee Gees the only group in pop history to write, produce and record that many consecutive chart-topping singles.
Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself/ Walking Back To Waterloo
Atco 6847, 1971
Category: Soft Rock $9.00
First of May/ Lamplight
Category: Power Pop $8.00
Holiday/ Every Christian Lion-Hearted Man Will Show You
Jive Talkin'/ Come On Over
RSO 8001 , 1975
Category: Disco $7.00
Too Much Heaven/ Rest Your Love On Me
RSO 913, 1978
You Should Be Dancing/ Subway
You Win Again/ Backtafunk
Play mp3: Side A | Side B
WB 28351, 1987
Displaying 1 to 7 (of 7 45's) Results: 1
Blue by LeAnn Rimes
Inside Of You/ Treat Her Right by Ray, Goodman & Brown


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